Awilo Longomba leaves Arua revellers yearning for more

Revellers trying to touch Awilo Longomba during his peroformaNce in Arua on Sunday night. PHOTOS BY MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI

Congolese legendary musician, Awilo Longomba left revellers on Sunday night yearning for more after putting up an amazing concert at the Green Light Stadium, home of soccer Club Onduparaka.

Before he stepped on stage, there were performances from the area musicians, comedians and dancers who curtain-raised so as to keep the revellers entertained from 7pm to 11pm.

Self-claimed Queen of west-Nile, Jackie Chandiru was also given a chance to show her fans that she’s still “got work”.

She stormed onto the stage with her dancers and entertained the seemingly ecstatic audience that had filled the stadium. She performed several of her songs some of which were in the local dialect Lugbara.

After Jackie’s performance, there was rib cracking comedy from the area comedians, Pato and Zaga who took on revellers until the Congolese star stepped on the stage.

At exactly 12.45am, Awilo Longomba hit the stage and did songs like Porokondo and Coupe Bibamba which forced all the revellers onto their feet.

A VIP ticket was at Shs50,000 and an ordinary ticket was at Shs20,000 but when Awilo started performing, he told the crowd to get closer to the stage as he wanted to interact with them.

“Come closer people. This is a show and as I talk now, there is no VIP. Everyone is VIP,” he said amid cheers from the audience.

He took a break of about five minutes before returning to the stage clad in the Onduparaka FC Jersey with his name inscribed at the back.

He performed and left the stage at about 1.50am with the crowd begging for more.